Positive-lock clutch.



No. 793,920. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905. L. J. GREGELIUS.

POSITIVE LOCK CLUTCH.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 4, 1904.

w if 2 SHEETS-bHLEEE l.

PATENTED JULY 4:, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. J. GREOELIUS.

POSITIVE LOCK CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1904.

Ri a/4 H 4 one of thelock-blocks.

Illll'o. T953920.

Patented Juiy t, 1905.

. ririicis.

frOlUlS (l. (JRIECELIUS, OF ST. LOUlS, iiffleltl OURi, AStllt-illltlltTO FREDERICK J. Fi llNl lii IAN, ()F ST. LOUIS, MlSrlUUh-l.

POSlTlWIE-LOwll t mhltl f'fil'l.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 798,920, dated July 4;,1905.

Application filed January 4, 1994;. Serial No. 187,711.

To rt/IZ 0/1/0112 it 712,0, concern.-

Be it known that l, Louis J. Cn'nonnies, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvc-nnents in Positive-Lock Clutches, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

I hily invention relates to a positive lock ciatch which can be startedat a gradual speed and will hold any load up to its breaking strainwithout readjustment.

This clutch can be made as a single unit or split to permit of its beingplaced readily at any desired point on a shaft when used onpowertransmitting devices, such as pulleys or driving-wheels. The clutchis also appli cable to the meeting ends of two shafts to com- 2 municatemotion from one to the other.

By my invention I dispense with the commonly-known toggle-levers andcostly adjustment of parts, my object being, aside from the positivehold, also the cheapening of cost of 2 5 constri'lction to enablegeneral adoption.

M y invention consistsin features of novelty hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of my clutch unlocked. Fig. 11 is across-section taken on line H .li, Fig. l, with the parts shown inelevation looking in the direction of the arrow on said line. Fig. lllllis a crosssection taken on line .llli ill, Fig. i. Fig. llV is aperspective view of oneof the oscillating lock-blocks arranged forengagement with the cam-wln-iel of the clutch. Fig. V is a perspectiveview of one of the regulating-wedges of the clutch. Fig. VI is aperspective view of Fig. Vll isa perspective view of one of the(merating-wedges.

Fig. Vll l: is a longitudinal section of the clutch, sl'iowing the partsin the position assumed when the clutch is locked. Fig. IX is 4-5 adiagrannnatical view of a. portion 01 the working face of the cam-wheeland the ends of the oscillating locl-z-blocks that operate in connectiontherewith.

1 designates a shaft on which my clutch is 5 shown mounted.

2 is a cam-wheel of split form, 3e Fig. 111,) having a hub 3 that isloosely mounted on the shaft 1 and which may carry a pulley 4, as shownin Figs. [and ll, or other power-transmitting devices to travel with thecain-wheel in its rotation. The pulleys is of split form, so that it maybe readily applied to the hub of the cam-wheel after the sections ofsaid wheel have been assembled on a shaft. The working face of the021111--\\ll06l 2 is furnished with a plurality of crowns or high points5 and a plurality of dips or low points 6, located at intervals andalternating, as seen in Figs,

i, ll, VIII, and IX. The function of these crowns and dips willhereinafter appear. 5

7 designates a sectional clutch-frame, as

seen in Figs. l, ill, and Vlll, which is held from rotation on the shaft1 by any suitable means, such as a key (Shown on Fig. ill.) ihefra1'neis chambered interiorly, and itcoin- 7 prises an end 9 and side arms 10.In the end 9 of the frame are apertures 11, and in the arms 10 areapertures 12.

13 represents webs extending longitudinally and transversely within theframe 7 and 7 5 spaced apart from the arms 10, as seen in Figs.

I, Hi, and VIII.

14c designates oscillating lock-blocks, preferably two in number,reciprocatingly posi tioned between the frame-arms 10 and webs 1,3. Theforward ends of these oscillating blocks oppose the working face of thecamwhecl 2, and in said forward ends are seated :mtifriction-rollers 15.The oscillating lockblocks 14: are recessed, as seen in .liigs. l and 5ill, and seated therein are expansion-springs 16, that are preferably olconsiderable strength. 17 represents lock blocks located at the rear ofthe oscillating lock-blocks 14; and between which and said oscillatinglock- 9 blocks the springs in are seated. Each of these locleblocks isprovided with a diagonal groove l8. (See Figs. .l and Vi.)

19 represents regulal ing-wedges having in clined working I ees .50,(see Figs. l and V,) that operate within the grooves of the lockblocks17.

23 designates reciprocating operatingwedges provided withsligl'itlyinclined working faces Q-zi and positioned between the hubofI00 the frame 7, on which they ride,and the regulating-wedges 19. Theworking faces 24 of these operating-wedges bear against the workingedges 22 of the regulating-wedges 19. The op crating-wedges extendthrough the apertures 11 in the frame end 9, and these wedges tapertoward a point in an upward direction, as seen in Figs. 1, VII, andVIII. Faeh operatingwedge is provided with a sprin 26 at its small end25. These springs 26 are of less resistance than the springs 16 locatedbetween the oscillating lock-blocks 1 1 and lock-blocks 17.

28 designates a shift -collar loosely posi tioned on the shaft 1. (SeeFigs. I and VIII.) This collar has a flange 29, that is apertured toreceive the operating-wedge ends 2-5,which operate loosely therein. Thisflange serves as hearing for the springs 26, the opposite ends of whichbear against the nuts 27. In the shift-collar 28 is an annular groove29, that receives the pins 30 of a shift-lever 31, having one of itsends pivoted at 32 to a suitable support 33, that may be of anydesirable form.

In the practical use of my clutch the operation is as follows: Theclutch-frame '7 being fixed to the shaft rotates therewith when theshaft is in motion. Vhen the clutch is to be thrown into operation, theshift-lever 31 is thrown outwardly in a direction away from theclutch-frame 7, and the shift-collar 28 is thereby moved in a directioncorresponding to the movement of the shift-lever. As a consequence theoperating-wedgcs 23 are reciprocated forwardly in bearingengagement withthe regulating-wedges 19, thereby moving said regulating wedgesoutwardly, during which movement the working faces 20 of theregulating-wedges travel with contact against the lock-blocks 17 toforce them rearwardly in a direction toward the oscillating blocks lat.he result is that pressure is exerted against the springs 16 to carrythe oscillating blocks 14 rearwardly toward the cam-wheel Zagainst whichthe rollers 15 at the rear ends of the oscillating blocks bear. Therollers are therefore moved into engagement with the working face of thecam-wheel 2 so that they will ride on the crowns 5 and into the dips 6of said camwheel working face. During the rotation of the clutch-frame?the antifriction-rollers 15 when moved inwardly travel in a circuit onthe working face of the cam-wheel and alternately ride onto the crowns 5and into the dips 6, thereby causing a reciprocation of the oscillatingblocks let, due to the inward and outward movement imparted to theantifrictionrollers by the cam working face and the springs at the frontof the oscillating blocks. During this action one of theantifrictionrollers 15 is traveling on a crown of the cam working face,while the other antifrictionroller is traveling in a dip of said workingface, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. IX, and this condition ismaintained, due to the positions of the rollers on said working facebeing changed from a crown to a dip in alternation. As theoperating-wedges 23 are drawn forwardly resistance to the movement ofone of them in alternation will be constantly maintained, due to thecorresponding oscillating block antifriction-roller moving onto a crownof the cam-wheel working face, and therefore when the shift-collar 28 isdrawn forwardly the spring 26 corresponding to said operating-wedge willbe compressed, as seen at the upper side of Fig. VIII. At this time theother antifriction-roller associated with the second oscillating block 11 being positioned in a dip of the cam working face no resistance isoffered to the forward movement of the corresponding operating-wedge 23,and said operating-wedge remains in a fixed position in so far aslongitudinal movement thereof is concerned. Immediately upon theantifriction-roller of the oscillating block first referred to passinginto a dip of the cam working face resistance to the movement of thefirst operating-wedge is eliminated, and the expansion-spring 26corresponding to said operating-wedge acts to move the operatingwedgeforwardly, thereby imparting outward movement to the regulating-wedge19, by virtue of which the lock-block 17 is carried rearwardly. Afurther movement outwardly of the shift-collar 28, together with thesemovements of the parts, is occasioned in alternation with respect to theoscillating blocks 17 and the members by which they are actuated, withthe result that the antifriction-rollers 15 are carried gradually intofirmer contact with the working face of the cam-wheel 2 until suchcontact becomes sufliciently intense to lock the antifrietion-rollersagainst the working face of the cam-wheel, thereby locking the clutchpositively. The frame 7 on its 0pposite end has an angularinwardly-extending projection a, which answers as a grip to hold againstthe smooth face Z) of the cam-wheel, as shown in Figs. I and VIII, thuscausing a perfect grip on the periphery of the cam-wheel by the lockingdevice referred to. The operation of releasing the clutch is verysimple, as it is only necessary to move the shift-collar 2S rearwardly,thereby throwing its flange into engagement with the forward ends of theoperating-wedges 23, when said operatingwedges will be readily throwninwardly in the frame 7 to relieve the pressure exerted thereby againstthe regulating-wedges 19. hen this is done, pressure against thelock-blocks 17 is removed and the oscillating blocks 14: and springsinterposed between said lockblocks and oscillating blocks are freed fromrestraint, leaving a free path for the travel of the cam-wheel, as shownin Fig. I.

I have shown and described my clutch as having a pulley arranged inconnection therewith in Fig. I; but it is obvious that the ends of twoshafts may be operatively united by it for the transmission of powerfrom one to the other, where the cam-wheel 9 is located upon the end ofone shaft and the clutch-frame 7 and the parts associated therewith aremounted upon the end of the other shafts, as shown in .lfig. Villl.

f claim as my invcntion-- l. A clutch comprising a cam having a workingface, locking means arranged to be gradu- I ally lIlOVGtl into contactw1th said cam working face, and wedge mechanism for holding said lockingmeans positively to said cam worle ing face after continued movementthereof, substantially as set forth.

2. A clutch comprisingacam havinga waving working face, locking meansarrai'iged to be gradually moved into contact with said cam workingface, and wedge mechanism for holding said locking means positively tosaid cam working face after continued movement thereof, si'ibstantiallyas set forth.

A clutch com prising a cam having a waving working face, a reciprocatingmember for gradual movement to said cam working face, and wedgemechanism for shifting said reciprocating member toward said cam workingface and finally hoiding said member to said face, substantially as setforth.

a. A clutch comprising a cam having a working face providi-xd with aplurality-of crowns and dips intervening between said crowns, areciprocating member for gradual movement into contact with said camworking face crowns and into said dips, means for actuating saidreciprocating member, and a spring associated with said iast-named meansarranged to permit play of a portion thereof during the actofreciprocating said member, substantially as set forth.

in a clutch, a locking device composed of a cam-w heel 2, oscillatingblocks 14-, lock-block 1'7, regulating wedge 15), and operatingwedgesE23, substantially as described.

in a clutch, the combination with a shaft, of a cam-Wheel on said shafthaving a working face provided with a plurality of crowns and dipsintervening between said crowns, a pair of f'6Ci})IOCLtOl',Y members formovement to said cam working-face crowns and dips, a member fixed to ashaft in which said reciprocatory members are positioned, and meanswhereby said reciprocatory members are moved indimendently andalternately toward the working face of said cam, substantially as setforth.

7. in a Gilli/(Ill, the combination with a shaft, of a cam-wheel on saidshaft and having an undulatory working face, a phjirality ofreciprocatory men'ibers, means fixed to a shaft and carrying saidreciprocatory n'iembers, means for moving said members toward theworking face of said cam-wheel, and springs intcrposed in saidreciprocatory moving means, substantially as set forth.

8. in aclutch, the combination with ashaft, of a cam-wheel on said shaftand having an nndulatory working face, a plm'ality of reciprocatorymembers, means fixed to a shaft and carigving said rcci 'n'ocatorymembers, means for exerting pressure against said reciprocatory members,and an operating-wedge for actuating said pressure-exerting means,substantially as set forth.

9. in a clutch, the con'ibination with a shaft, of a cam-wheel on saidshaft, and ha ing an umlulatory working face, a plurality ofreciprocatory members, means fixed to a shaft and carrying saidreciprocatory members, means for exerting pressure against said reciprocati'n-y members, an o1ierating-wedge for actuating saidpressurc-exerting means, and means associated with said operatirig-wedgefor yieldingly resisting movement thereof, substm'itially as set forth.

1.0. if n a clutch, the combination with a shaft, of a cam-wheel on saidshaft and having an undulatory working face, a plurality of reciprocatory members, means fixed to a shaft and carrying saidreeiprocatory members, an operating-wedge for actuating saidn'essureexerting means, and a spring associated with said o)erating-wedge to be placed under tension during the movement of theoperatingwedge, substantially as set forth.

11. in a clutch, the combination of a camwheel having an nndulatoryworking face, a frame in proximity with said cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for movement toward said cam working face, alock-block adjacent to said oscillating block to actuate it, andn'ieansifor moving saidlock-block, substantialiy as set forth.

12. in a clutch, the combination of a camwheel having an midulatoryworking face, a frame in proxin'iity with said canrwheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for n'n'n'ement toward said cam working face, alock-block adiacent to said oscillatii'ig block to actuate it, a springinterposed between said oscillating block and lock'block, and means formoving said lock-block, su l.)sfa1'1tiall as set forth.

'13. lln a clutch, the combination of a camwhecf having an undulatm'yworking face, a frame in proximity to said cam-whcel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for movement toward said cam working face, alock-block for imparting movel'nent to said oscillatiz'ig block, arcgulating-wedge having engagement with said l ')cl\'block, and meansfor actuating said regulating-wmlge, snbsti'mtially as set forth.

H1. in a clutch, the combiliiation of a cam wheel having an undl'ilatoryworking face, a frame in proximity to (aid cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for n'iovcment toward said cam working face, aloek-block for imparting movement to said oscillating block, aregulatingwedge having engagcn'ient with said lock-block, and anoscillating wedge for moving said regulatingovedge, substantially as setforth.

f5. ln a clutch, the combination of a camwheel having an undulatoryworking face, a frame in proximity to said cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for movement toward said cam working face, alockblocl: for imparting movement to said oscillating block, aregulating-wedge having engagement with said lock-block, and aspring-controlled oper ating wedge for moving said regulatingwedge,substantially as set forth.

16. In a clutch, the combination of a camwheel, having an undulatoryworking face, a frame in proximity with said cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame for movement toward the working face of said cam, alockblock for imparting movement to said oscillating block, aregulating-wedge engaging said lock-block, and an operating-wedgeengaging said regulating-wedge, substantially as set forth.

17. In a clutch, the combination of a camv wheel having an undulatoryworking face, a

frame in proximity with said cam-wheel, an oscillating block in saidframe for movement toward the working face of said cam, a lockblock forimparting movement to said oscillating block, a regulating-wedgeengaging said lock-block, and a spring-controlled operating-wedgeengaging said regulating-wedge, substantially as set forth.

18. In a clutch, the combination of a camwheel having an undulatoryworking face, a frame in proximity to said cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame, an antifrictionroller interposed between saidoscillating block and cam working face, a spring bearing against saidoscillating block, a lock-block bearing against said spring, aregulatingwedge engaging said loch-block, and an operating-wedge bearingagainst said regulatingwedge, substantially as set forth.

19. In a clutch, the combination of a camwheel having an undulatoryWorking face, a frame in proximity to said cam-wheel, an oscillatingblock in said frame, an antifrictionroller interposed between saidoscillating block and cam working face, a spring bearing against saidoscillating block, a lock-block bearing against said spring, aregulatingwedge engaging said lock-block, an operating-wedge bearingagainst said regulatingwedge, and a spring associated with said operating-wedge to be compressed during the movement of saidoperating-wedge and to impart movement to the operating-wedgethereafter, substantially as set forth.

20. In a clutch, the combination of a cam having an undulatory workingface, a frame in proximity to said cam-wheel, an oscillating block insaid frame, an antifriction roller interposed between said oscillatingblock and cam working face, a spring bearing against said oscillatingblock, a lock-block bearing against said spring, a regulating-wedgeengaging said lock-block, an operating-wedge bear ing against saidregulating-wedge, a shift-collar for actuating said operating-wedge, anda spring mounted between the forward end of said operating-wedge andsaid shift-collar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

LOUIS J CREGELIUS.

In presence of E. S. KNIGHT, NELLIE V. ALEXANDER.

